The only way is up: Trees help reptiles thrive

James Cook University researchers in Queensland say if graziers leave trees in place on their land all types of reptiles will benefit.

JCU's Heather Neilly was part of a team that looked at the effect of cattle on ground-dwelling lizards and snakes—as opposed to tree-dwelling species.

Difference - Well-being

She says the difference in well-being was marked.

"We looked at four different types of paddock near Townsville, all with different approaches to stock levels. We found that ground-based reptiles in paddocks with high numbers of cattle were heavily impacted by grazing. However, tree-dwelling reptiles were able to thrive in all of the grazing treatments, including the heavily stocked paddocks."

Benefits - Trees - Reptiles - Cover - Prospects

She said the benefits of trees extend beyond just the tree-dwelling reptiles, with more tree cover improving the prospects for ground-dwelling reptiles too.

"They often like woody debris, leaf litter and fallen logs, which further emphasises the importance of trees to ground features and...